12 November 2012

Poppy bullies’ death threats against soccer star James McClean

Lest we forget – Bloody Sunday, 1972

» Mark Moloney

McClean asked to wear the regular Sunderland jersey, which the club accepted

IRELAND
MANAGER Giovanni Trapattoni has defended Derry-born Sunderland AFC and Ireland footballer James
McClean, abused by online bigots over his decision not to wear a Royal British
Legion poppy on his shirt during Sunderland’s Premier League game at Everton on
Saturday.

Teams had
poppies sewn into their jerseys in special kits for matches taking place over
Remembrance Sunday weekend to remember British troops who died in World War I
and other conflicts, including Ireland and its colonial wars of conquest for
the British Empire.

McClean asked
to wear the regular Sunderland jersey instead, which the club accepted.

Almost
immediately, McClean came under a torrent of abuse and even death threats on
Twitter and Facebook (right).

Ireland
manager Giovanni Trapattoni said it was his own personal choice whether to wear
a poppy or not.

McClean has
since announced that the shirt he wore during the march will be auctioned to
raise money for a children’s charity.

In 1972, 14
civil rights marchers – six from McClean’s own Creggan estate – were murdered by British troops
in McClean’s native Derry City on Bloody Sunday.

Meanwhile, in
England, police arrested a 19-year-old in Kent for posting a picture of a
burning poppy on his Facebook page. The man is being held under the Malicious
Communications Act of 1988 which could see him serve six months in prison.